Headset



Jan. 15, 1963 v. F. GONGOLL ETAL 3,073,410

HEADSET Filed Dec. 50, 1959 INVENTORS. VERNON F. GONGOLL JACK N. SIMPSON8 BY CHARLES iLBOY R ATTORNEY United States Patent Office g) TheElectric Storage Battery Company, Philadeiphia,

Filed Dec. 30, 1959, Ser. No. 862,981 2 Claims. (Cl. 181-23) Thisinvention relates to a headset, similar to that used by telephone, radioand all other communications operators, but with or without telephone,radio or com munication receivers, or the like, contained therein and isparticularly concerned with and directed to the attenuation ofextraneous sounds.

In the past, attempts have been made to suppress or attenuate loudnoises, such as occur in various industries, air fields and the like, bythe wearing of headsets and the like. It has been found that when suchheadsets are provided with fiuid containing cushions, particularlyhighly viscous liquids, optimum attenuation is obtained.

However, one outstanding disadvantage arising from the use of fluidfilled cushions is the high tendency toward leakage caused by placingthe headset on a hard surface, particular-1y one with sharp surface,corners or edges.

Another disadvantage of conventional headsets used to attenuate outsidenoises is the hitherto unrealized fact that the ear cups of the headsettend to vibrate, particularly at certain frequencies, such as thenatural frequency of the cup, thereby increasing rather than decreasingextraneous sounds reaching the ears of the wearer.

An object of the present invention is to provide a novel headset forattenuating outside noises and which is devoid of the above nameddisadvantages of conventional sound suppressing headsets.

A more specific object of my invention is to provide a substantiallyleak-proof, fluid-containing cushion which will not tend to puncture asthe result of careless or other accidental handling of the headset.

Another object of our invention is to provide a novel reinforcedconstruction for the ear cups of the headset to minimize the vibrationaltendencies, and to enable selective use thereof, either with or withoutearphones or the like.

Other objects and advantages will become more apparent from a study ofthe following description taken with the accompanying drawing wherein:

HQ. 1 is a perspective view of one of the ear cup assemblies embodyingthe principles of our invention showing the stirrup or pivotal yokeportion partly broken away.

FiGS. 2 and 3 are enlarged, fragmentary cross-sectional views, showingdifferent cushion constructions and taken along line HIIII of FIG. 1,which more clearly show the rib reinforcing construction of the ear cup;and,

FIG. 4 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the ear cup of FIG. 1 shownwithout a cushion.

Referring more particularly to FIG. 1 of the drawing, numeral 1 denotesan ear cup of either conventional or unconventional hemispherical shapeor of elongated or oval shape and which is preferably made of hardplastic material, such as compression or transfer molded melamine, orinjection molded material such as fiberfilled styrene, die or wroughtmetals or ceramics. The mouth portion of the cup is provided with aradially outwardly extending flange portion 1:1, as shown more clearlyin FIG. 2, FIG. 3 and FIG. 4, for supporting an annular base plate 2having a notched out or recessed inner groove to fit closely around saidflange, as shown more clearly in FIG. 2. The base plate is alsopreferably made of the same material as the ear cup 1.

3,073,413 Patented Jan. 15, 1%63 Base plate 2 has a slight radial flareand provides a backing support for the endless, annular tubular cushion3 of extensible or non-extendable flexible material, preferably aplastic such as a vinyl sheet or film, rubber, neoprene, silicone orsimilar material.

The cushion 3 may be made of two fiat or formed annular strips ofplastic which are heat-sealed or electrically sealed, adhesively ormechanically affixed along their inner perimeters 8 and along theirouter perimeters 7, as well as being heat-sealed or otherwise attachedalong the annular path 9 adjacent the outer perimeter, so as to sandwicha rubber band 5, O-ring, mechanical spring or the like, or one of anyother elastic material, between path 9 and periphery 7. Cushion 3 may bemade of either elastic or relatively non-elastic plastic material. Thusthe rubber band 5 may be stretched so as to firmly and securely hold theliner 3 in the position shown by virtue of the anchorage of rubber band5 against the under surface of the peripheral flange of ear cup 1.

The cushion 3 may be filled with any suitable fluid 6 such as air or aliquid, but preferably the latter, and especially highly viscous fluid,such as glycerine, grease and other fluids that will flow as the resultof very slight application of force, or pressure as provided by thetension of the headband.

A disadvantage of the construction of the liner 3 shown in FIG. 2 isthat a fluid-containing portion thereof projects radially outwardly ofthe cup, so that if the headset is carelessly thrown against a hardsurface, particularly a sharp corner, by the wearer, there will be agreat tendency for the projecting portion of the cushion to becomepunctured and for the fluid contents to evacuate.

A modified and highly improved construction of the cushion is shown inFIG. 3 which will overcome this disadvantage. It will be noted that inthis construction, an additional (heat-sealed) ring it is provided fortwo reasons; one, to prevent any part of the fluid-containing cushionfrom projecting radially outwardly of the cup 1 and thus be vulnerableto leakage by bumping against hard surfaces and, secondly, to provide aseparate bumper portion 12, partly filled with air 12, rubber, orsimilar material, so as to absorb the bumps caused by accidentalthrowing of the headset against hard surfaces. In other words, the fluidcontaining portion of liner 3 does not project beyond the mouth of thecup so as to absorb bumps from rough handling. If the headset is thrownso that the top surface of the cushion engages a solid surface, theforce will be distributed over such a large area of the liner that nopuncturing will result.

We have made the amazing discovery that one of the reasons that outsidenoises are not satisfactorily attenuated is that the ear-cup 1 itselfhas a tendency to vibrate, induced by extraneous noises or those inducedby the microphones. We have overcome this tendency by providing integralribs, such as 18, extending along the curved surface of the cup 1adjacent its mouth portion and in a direction towards the center of thebase of the cup. Four such ribs are shown, although any greater orsmaller number may be used as required.

Ribs 18 have a dual function of reinforcing the ear cup 1 againstvibration, as well as serving as a support or boss for receiving thethreaded ends of screws 19, shown in dotted outline in PEG. 2, whichscrews 19 extend through registering holes 26 in base plate 2 when it isdesired that the base plate be detachably attached as in the casewherein a telephone receiver or earphone 21 (see FIG. 4) is to bemounted therein. Such earphones 21 are mounted in the cups by supportingthem on additional ribs 26 on opposite sides of the ear cups, at least apair of which suflices for mounting a flanged portion of each earphone21 thereon, such as by screws or other means extending through theflanged portion and the axes of the ribs 29 integrally formed on the cupand pointing toward the center of the base of the cup.

A pair of ribs 17 are also provided on opposite sides of the outside ofthe cup for further reinforcing the cup, also to serve as pivots forreceiving the pointed inwardly projecting edges (not shown) of thestirrup 15 integrally formed on each end of headband 14 of the headset.It is understood that any type of headset may be used and that anidentical ear cup assembly as shown in FIG. 1

will be mounted on the other end of the fragmentarily shown headband.

Thus it will be seen that we have provided an eiiicient noise atteuating headset, useful either with or without communication equipment,which headset is provided with ribs for preventing vibration of the earcups as well as for serving as fastening means for detachably fasteningthe base plate; furthermore we have provided a relatively leak-proofliner for such headsets which, when filled with the fluid and tossedcarelessly onto a hard surface, will not tend to puncture, therebyproviding relatively long life to the cushion and headset.

While we have illustrated and described several embodhnents of myinvention, it will be understood that these are by way 1" illustrationonly, and that various changes and modifications may be made within thecontemplation of our invention and Within the scope of the followingclaims.

We claim:

1. A headset including a headband having at least one ear cup pivotallysupported on the end thereof, an annular base plate mounted on the mouthportion of said ear cup, a tubular annular shaped cushion of flexibleplastic sheet material and containing a viscous fluid, which cushion issupported on said base plate in a manner so that no portion of thecushion containing the fiuid i filling projects radially outwardly ofthe marginal portion of the cup, an elastic band secured to the outerperipheral portion of the cushion for mounting the cushion underneath anoutwardly turned flange of the mouth portion of the cup and abump-receiving projection intermediate said fluid-filled part of thecushion and said elastic band and which projects radially outwardly ofthe outer peripheral portion of the cup. I

2. In an ear cup for use on a headset, an annular base plate mounted onthe mouth portion of the ear cup, an endless, tubular, annular cushionof flexible material comprising two flat annular strips of plastic sheetmaterial sealed at their inner peripheries and at their outerperipheries, and sealed also along two intermediate circular paths, afluid contained between said inner periphery and the innermost of saidintermediate circular paths, an elastic band sandwiched between saidstrips intermediate the other circular path and the outermost periphery,for mounting said cushion on a peripheral flange of said ear cup, theportion of said strips between said two intermediate, sealed circularpaths containing air so as to provide a bumper cushion projectingradially outwardly of said base plate.

References titted in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS PapeOct. 3, Penhallow Dec. 3, Cooley June 11,

Martin Nov. 14, Shaw et al Aug. 6,

FOREIGN PATENTS Great Britain June 10, i959 France Nov. 16, 1959

1. A HEADSET INCLUDING A HEADBAND HAVING AT LEAST ONE EAR CUP PIVOTALLYSUPPORTED ON THE END THEREOF, AN ANNULAR BASE PLATE MOUNTED ON THE MOUTHPORTION OF SAID EAR CUP, A TUBULAR ANNULAR SHAPED CUSHION OF FLEXIBLEPLASTIC SHEET MATERIAL AND CONTAINING A VISCOUS FLUID, WHICH CUSHION ISSUPPORTED ON SAID BASE PLATE IN A MANNER SO THAT NO PORTION OF THECUSHION CONTAINING THE FLUID FILLING PROJECTS RADIALLY OUTWARDLY OF THEMARGINAL PORTION OF THE CUP, AN ELASTIC BAND SECURED TO THE OUTERPERIPHERAL PORTION OF THE CUSHION FOR MOUNTING THE CUSHION UNDERNEATH ANOUTWARDLY TURNED FLANGE OF THE MOUTH PORTION OF THE CUP AND ABUMP-RECEIVING PROJECTION INTERMEDIATE SAID FLUID-FILLED PART OF THECUSHION AND SAID ELASTIC BAND AND WHICH PROJECTS RADIALLY OUTWARDLY OFTHE OUTER PERIPHERAL PORTION OF THE CUP.